


Throw [Inktober 2020]

by the_real_a_cosmo (california_112)



Category: The Ter Map
Genre: Gen, Inktober, Inktober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26901652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/california_112/pseuds/the_real_a_cosmo
Summary: Aware that he had an audience, he made sure to make the cleanest folds, the sharpest lines, and the most precise corners. Holding the finished item out to be viewed, it was soon joined by two slightly cruder attempts, but which were at least recognizable as the same design.A few minutes of more making, decorating, and modifying, each of them had three colourful entries for the impromptu paper aeroplane competition.-or-Friends are bored, Charlie is surprised, and targets are missed.This is part of Inktober 2020, Friday 9th October - Throw.





	Throw [Inktober 2020]

Charlie was subconsciously twisting the blue bead of his necklace between his fingers as he watched his friends on the other side of the table. They were trying to make paper aeroplanes, but 'trying' was the operative word: neither were very sure what they were meant to be doing, and it showed. After a further minute of struggles, Charlie gently pulled the pieces of paper away, putting them to one side.

"Have neither of you ever made a paper aeroplane before?" he asked, handing out more paper, "Let me show you."

Aware that he had an audience, he made sure to make the cleanest folds, the sharpest lines, and the most precise corners. Holding the finished item out to be viewed, it was soon joined by two slightly cruder attempts, but which were at least recognizable as the same design.

A few minutes of more making, decorating, and modifying, each of them had three colourful entries for the impromptu paper aeroplane competition. Standing together on a precariously wobbling bench, each eyed the target: the wood pile in the opposite corner of the Mess.

"Who's going first?" Louis asked, looking at his rather lop-sided entries.

"Not me." Bernie replied, still doodling on the side of hers. "Charlie, why don't you show us how it's done."

"If you say so," he replied, with a smug smile, and turned around to take aim.

The launch was graceful, pink-studded paper sailing through the air to land only a foot from the target. Charlie took a mock bow.

"Who's next?" he asked, moving over.

"I’ll go," Louis volunteered, "Bernie's still drawing on hers."

"I am not!" Bernie tried to defend herself and not fall of the bench at the same time. "I'm just putting my name on it. Throw your aeroplane, Louis."

Her friend did, but he threw it far too hard, the nose flicking straight up before curling to the left and diving between a bench and a table. Jumping down to try and retrieve it, Bernie moved into the space and took her turn whilst trying to stifle laughter.

Her throw was better than Louis', but not by much. She threw too slow, with the result that it hit the ground ten feet later, thankfully not snubbing the nose, unlike Louis had.

"Look at it!" he said sadly, holding up what had once been a not particularly sleek paper aeroplane, but which now had a zig-zag nose and bent wing. "That was my best effort!"

Charlie chuckled. "If that was your best effort, I'd hate to see your worst." he teased, readying his second entry.

Louis smouldered, setting about trying to refold his other aeroplanes whilst Charlie threw again. This one hit the target squarely, and he cheered as he let Bernie come into the space.

"Now that I've hit it, is there even any point in carrying on…?" He asked with a grin, ignoring the look he received from Bernie.

"Just you wait." Bernie snarled, then took careful aim before launching her second attempt.

It was close, very close- but not quite close enough. Bernie leapt down to make tweaks to her final attempt as Louis stepped up.

"Watch how it's done." He boasted, proceeding to launch his aeroplane into the ceiling.

Charlie just about kept it together, but Bernie laughed openly. This earned her a light slap on the shoulder as Louis passed, and a taunting "I'd like to see you do better.".

Even though they were now down to the final round, Charlie felt no pressure- and even decided to take things one step further.

"I bet I could do that blind." he said, prompting the expected reaction from his friends.

"I bet you can't!" was Louis' instant reply, whilst Bernie settled on a more conservative "No, that's too hard.".

"Well, I'll show you that I can." Placing a hand dramatically over his eyes, he made a great show of taking careful aim, then drew back his hand, and threw.

The paper aeroplane sailed gracefully from his fingertips, dead on course for the red patch. However, it was intercepted half-way through its course by an unexpected object, a moving one that had the bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even worse, that object was Commander Hurst.

Bernie was the first person to notice, and slowly reached out for her friends. Charlie, expecting cheers, asked loudly "What's happened? I must have hit it."

"Oh, you've hit something alright," Louis replied, "but not quite what you were thinking of."

Charlie uncovered his eyes, and saw the dangerously silent Commander staring him down, now the same colour as the aimed for target. "What should we do?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

Bernie answered, voice also level. "Um…run!"

**Author's Note:**

> da da da da da Run.
> 
> A bit longer than usual, but the next one is a drabble, so...evens it out? Lots of great works on the tag this year, I'm really enjoying it!


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